Overview
- He insists the side must reassert traditional toughness after robust showings against Canada and the United States.
- Australia qualified automatically in June with wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia during an 11-match unbeaten run that ended 2-1 to the US this month.
- The pool of options has widened, with youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard and Mohamed Touré joining resurgent figures like Miloš Degenek and Paul Izzo.
- November friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia carry performance and ranking stakes that could influence World Cup pot placement.
- Popovic’s deal runs through the 2026 finals, yet he is already structuring plans for the subsequent Asian Cup and longer-term succession.